Three arrested as tensions boil over at Epping asylum hotel protest

Three individuals were arrested on Sunday, August 31, as a protest against a hotel housing asylum seekers escalated outside the Epping Forest District Council offices.

Around 200 people protested in a series of rallies centered on the Bell Hotel, which has become a focal point for community tension.

The protests started as a result of a High Court ruling that allowed 138 asylum seekers to continue residing at the hotel.

Protesters gathered behind metal barriers, with many waving Union Flags and eliciting supportive honks from passing motorists.

The situation intensified when a woman climbed the council building’s steps and unfurled a Union Flag.

Essex Police arrested her for breaching a public order notice, strongly denying she was detained solely for flying the flag.

Two men are also taken into custody on suspicion of fueling racial hatred and refusing to disperse after the protest concluded.

The protests have been amplified by the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl by an asylum seeker housed at the Bell Hotel last month.

All charges have been denied by the accused.

The incident has fueled broader anger over national immigration policies and the use of local hotels for asylum accommodation.

Essex Police maintained a peaceful presence by controlling the crowd, with additional units stationed in the nearby streets.

The force reiterated its commitment to facilitate peaceful protest while taking action against unlawful behaviour.

All three arrested individuals remain in custody as the investigations continues.